Page 6 - Apmor 2018

news in brief

energy portfolio.
According to the singer, “Akon Lighting Africa” aims to respond
to the energy challenges of African countries by implementing
an innovative solution that should lay the foundations for the
sustainable development of rural areas.
Egypt “We can move Africa... My idea for Mozambique is to implement

changes in the area of renewable energies,” said Akon, real name
Egypt To Develop 1.4 Gigawatts of Solar Aliaume Damala Badara Akon Thiam.
Capacity He said the initiative aims to develop an innovative solar-powered
solution that will provide African villages with access to a clean and
Egypt’s fledgling solar industry attracted $1.8 billion of
investment, largely from the European Bank of Reconstruction and affordable source of electricity.
Development and the World Bank’s International Finance Corp. Akon Lighting Africa initiative seeks to provide a concrete response
at grass root level to Africa’s energy crisis and lay the foundations
The EBRD is backing 16 photovoltaic projects, and the IFC is for future development. Launched in February 2014 Akon,
financing 13 in the sunny North African nation with a combined
capacity of 1.4 gigawatts. They are writing loans for $380 million Thione Niang and Samba Bathily, the initiative aims to develop an
and $203 million, respectively, and have mobilized the rest from innovative solar-powered solution that will provide African villages
co-investors. with access to a clean and affordable source of electricity.
“These are the first private renewable energy projects in Egypt,
and it’s not an easy macroeconomic or geopolitical situation,” South Africa
Harry Boyd-Carpenter, head of power and energy utilities at the
London-based development bank, said in a phone interview. “Yet
because it’s got the right regulatory framework in place, Egypt Solar Microgrid on Robben Island
has been able to attract all of these different investors and should SOLA Future Energy has succeeded in designing and constructing
comfortably get more than a gigawatt of capacity financed this a solar energy microgrid for Robben Island. The system, situated
year.” on the World Heritage Site, consists of a solar PV farm, combined
Egypt is targeting to generate 20 percent of its electricity from with a lithium-ion battery storage facility and smart controllers to
clean sources by 2022. It currently gets more than 90 percent of ensure a seamless electricity supply, whilst significantly reducing
its power from oil and gas, according to data from Bloomberg New the island’s fossil fuel consumption.
Energy Finance. Robben Island has an energy usage profile that comprises
The solar projects that got funding are being developed in the residential needs, desalination, harbour and offices; in total, the
Benban solar park in Egypt’s Aswan province in the southeast. The island uses almost 2M kWh of electricity annually. Commissioned
site is expected to have a capacity of 1.8 gigawatts and cost $2.8 by the Department of Tourism, the solar PV project will produce
billion by the time it’s complete in the first half of 2019. almost 1M kWh of electricity annually, significantly reducing costs
of buying diesel and transporting it to the island. The island is also
embarking on a drive to reduce its own electrical consumption.
Mozambique The microgrid consists of three power production elements. The

solar PV farm consists of 1960 mono-crystalline modules with a
total of 666.4 kW power supply. The battery bank, consisting of
The “Akon Lighting Africa” Initiative Will
2420 lithium-ion battery cells, is able to store 837 kWh and output
Electrify Rural Mozambique a maximum of 500 kVA. The third power production element is
Senegalese-American Hip hop icon Akon has entered into a US$50- the diesel generators, which are used when no solar or battery
million partnership agreement with the Machel Fidus Association storage is available. Multiple controllers between these power
for the implementation of a rural electrification project in northern production elements balances the power supply and creates a
Mozambique as part of the “Akon Lighting Africa” initiative. smart microgrid, ensuring a seamless supply of power.
The launch of the Akon Lighting Africa initiative in the country “The microgrid on Robben Island is the largest combined solar and
happened in Mozambique’s capital Maputo, making Mozambique lithium-ion storage microgrid system in South Africa,” said Dom
the first southern African country to partner with the hip-hop star. Wills, CEO of SOLA Future Energy, who were responsible for the
design and construction of the project. “For Robben Island, the
Graca Machel met with the Akon Lighting Africa team, Akon, Thione
Niang and Luc Tanoh to discuss Akon Lighting Africa opportunities solar microgrid will reduce its fossil fuel consumption by 235 000
litres of diesel per annum or 50% of previous usage. This will result
in Mozambique with Foundation Machel Fidus.
in a reduction the Island’s carbon emissions by at least 820 tons,
The implementation strategy covers renewable energies and will save the island money during its 25 years of operation.
established by the Ministry of Mineral Resources and Energy, The island’s microgrid is also a very good example of how non-
MIREME, and Mozambique’s National Energy Fund FUNAE electrically connected Africa will be powered in the next 20 years.”

6 | AFRICAN POWER Mining & Oil Review Vol 21, Issue 20, 2017